Machines for sanding and grinding relatively hard surfaces, such as concrete floors, are well known in the prior art. Such machines can employ a rotating disk or an otherwise moving head element that has protruding pins with abrasive heads. As the disk is rotated, the abrasive pin heads grind numerous dust particles from the surface. The pins are spring biased so that they can move to maintain contact with uneven surfaces.
The sanding machines designed according to the prior art are generally effective. However, the performance of such devices can be degraded by the dust particles separated from the surface during the sanding process. For example, during the sanding of a floor surface, these dust particles can accumulate and interfere with the sanding action by separating the abrasive pin heads from the surface of the floor. Accordingly, less of the surface is sanded during a given time, resulting in the need for repeated passes with the sanding machine. Such repeated sanding is undesirable because it can result in increased labor expenses. Further, because the repeated sanding causes increased wear on the abrasive pinheads, the useful life of the pins can be spent sanding a relatively small area. Accordingly, for a given area, the pins can require more frequent replacement, resulting in increased expenses for replacement parts.
Another disadvantage associated with the sanding heads of the prior art is the weight of the head itself. A disk-shaped head having a uniform thickness can be relatively heavy. Accordingly, some sanding machines can be difficult to maneuver and the installation or removal of the head itself can be troublesome, again resulting in increased labor costs.
Accordingly, there has existed a definite need for a lighter sanding head that can remove dust particles from the surface as it is sanded. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides further related advantages.